Citizens’ Panel on Sentencing calls for reform
Public participants in a Hopkins Van Mil delivered Citizens’ Panel on Sentencing want to see system reform. They call for a fair system that prioritises rehabilitation and keeps people safe.
The Citizens’ Panel, commissioned by the Prison Reform Trust was made up of a representative sample of 15 members of the public of England and Wales. The report, published today concludes that the current sentencing system in is “complex, bureaucratic, and unfit for the pressing needs of society.” The panel worked in a series of two online and one in-person workshop, 11.5 hours of deliberation. They heard from seven expert witnesses and received extensive information on current sentencing guidelines and practices.
The report explains that when people are properly informed about the sentencing system, with robust evidence, they advocate for a more thoughtful, evidence-based approach in full knowledge of the complexities and subtleties of the issues. Key findings are that:
Low public awareness leading to misunderstandings that can unduly influence policy decisions.
There is unfairness evident throughout the system which disproportionately affects minoritised ethnic groups, women, and working-class individuals.
Ineffective rehabilitation programmes fail to achieve desired outcomes.
Inefficiencies are evident in the current system, including on prison costs, are unacceptable, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis.
The panel proposed four main routes to developing a more effective sentencing system:
Improving trust and accountability to build a fairer system that is understood by wider society.
Modernising the system through better use of technology, data, and a simplified sentencing framework and guidelines.
Restricting custodial sentences to the most serious crimes and improving rehabilitation in prisons.
Increasing community sentencing for less serious offenses with improved resources for the National Probation Service.
Ideas for reform put forward by panel members included the more visible use of community sentences for making reparation to victims and communities and the use of national service as an alternative to custody for some serious offences.
The report draws four main conclusions regarding the value of public engagement to sentencing reform:
Public participants can provide valuable insights for policymaking when given accurate information and time to reflect.
Ongoing public deliberation should be commissioned by government agencies and independent organisations.
Public awareness of sentencing must be raised through increased communication and education.
Public trust and confidence in sentencing can be improved by demonstrating long-term strategic thinking and effective use of resources.
Pia Sinha, Chief Executive of the Prison Reform Trust said,
“These findings challenge the notion that the public simply wants ever-harsher punishments and instead reveals a desire for a system that is fair, cost-effective and actually reduces reoffending. With prisons at breaking point, the call for reform could not be clearer or more timely.”